Ki Tavo: Deuteronomy 26.1-29.8
The Haftarah is Isaiah 60:1-22
Local customs can and probably will vary
Ki Tavo is generally considered to be the beginning of Moses' final instructions
to the Bnei Israel that take up most of the remainder of the Torah. Moses starts
by putting their previous experiences into some kind of perspective. He points
out that the last forty years have really been one extended miracle, with the
Bnei Israel surviving a major attempt by Pharoah to create a permanent state of
oppression, numerous attacks by assorted enemies, and hardships imposed on them
by a hostile desert environment. As if this were not enough, our text (at 29:4)
tells us that:
Your clothing did not wear out, and neither did your shoes!
What a deal, but then again, Moses is making a simple point: 'That it was the
Creator who was actually responsible for their survival'. He continues by
pointing out that despite all the miracles and wonders, the Bnei Israel still
fails to appreciate all that God has done for them. As they enter the Land in
fulfillment of the promise made by God, circumstances are changing and even more
is to be expected of them. The challenge of a new future, a challenge we still
face today, a challenge we always face�
Once again we are brought face to face with our ongoing struggle with Amalek,
Amalekites and assorted Amalekite 'wannabes'.
Once again we must be reminded of just how important it is to remember that this
seemingly endless struggle is taking place in the 'here and now' on both the
physical level, and the spiritual.
KI TAVO ~ Deuteronomy 26:1 ~ 29:8
We concluded our reading last week with the injunction to completely obliterate
the name and memory of Amalek. Specifically, we were told to remember what he
and his minions had done to us on our way out of Egypt.
1st Aliya (Cohen): Devarim 26:1 - 26:11 (11 Pasukim)
In our First Reading
the Torah instructs us that, after settling in the Land we are to take some of
the First Fruits and place them in a basket: Then, take the basket to 'The
Place' chosen by God, announce our presence and present the Bikurim to the duty
priest; after it is placed before the Altar we are to make the Bikurim
declaration. By the way, the seven fruits of The Land are: Dates, figs, grapes,
pomegranates, olives, wheat, and barley. Just as a matter of interest, Isaac
Luria suggests that it is the Mitzvah of Bikurim that facilitates the Tikkun
(repair) for the Sin of the Spies.
2nd Aliya (Levi): Devarim 26:12 - 26:15 (4 Pasukim)
In the Second Reading
we are told that after completion of the proper separation and distribution of
tithes, we are to make a declaration that none of the Holy Produce remains in
our possession, and has been given to the appropriate people. Eating from the
Ma'aser Sheni is specifically forbidden during a period of mourning or when in a
state of ritual impurity (that means either the person or the food). The reading
concludes with the instruction for a farmer to declare that he has done all the
tithing properly and then ask God to '�look down on Your People and bless them
and the Land'.
3rd Aliya: Devarim 26:16 - 26:19 (4 Pasukim)
Then, in the extremely brief Third Reading
we find a summary of the nature of our relationship with the Creator. We must
always keep, preserve, observe and otherwise practice all the Mitzvot because we
have pledged allegiance and promised to follow God's ways� especially to Listen.
God then promises to make the Bnei Israel the Chosen Nation (again).
If we keep the Mitzvot
4th Aliya: Devarim 27:1 - 27:10 (10 Pasukim)
After this, in our Fourth Reading
we find Moses, together with the Elders, giving instructions to the Bnei Israel
for inscribing the Torah on twelve pillars of stone on the day they cross the
River Jordan. The expression '�and you shall coat them with plaster', occurs
twice in this reading (27:2,4). Because of this, the Talmud (Sotah 35b), offers
the explanation that: �after the first coating of plaster, the Torah was
inscribed, in seventy languages; then everything would be coated with a second
application of plaster! It is suggested that in this way the curiosity of the
other 'nations' would be aroused (and maybe learn something in the process of
removing the second coat). Only after crossing the River Jordan would Joshua
have this second coat replaced. When the Bnei Israel reach Mount Ebal an altar
is to be built using whole, uncut stones. Sacrifices are to be offered. Then
Moses and the Kohanim announce to the People that have become a nation 'on this
'day' because all the Mitzvot have been reviewed.
By the way, in the concluding phrases (27:9) we read the word Hasket from the
root: Samach, Caph, Tav (listen). It is a word occurring only once in the Torah,
and as such would be called a 'hapax legomenon' by language buffs.
5th Aliya: Devarim 27:11 - 28:6 (22 Pasukim)
In the Fifth Reading
Moses describes what will happen after the People enter the Land. Six tribes
will stand on Mount Gerizim and six on Mount Ebal. There they will hear the
blessings and curses that will be the fate of those who keep, and those who do
not keep the Mitzvot. Twelve curses are enumerated, with each new curse more
horrendous than the preceding one. The virulence of these curses is so great
that there have been several attempts by Soferim (Scribes) to have them removed
(excised) from the text as being un-Jewish! Moses then reminds the Bnei Israel
that by following the Mitzvot we will earn status (brownie points), showered
with all kinds of blessings, and other assorted goodies (freebies) as a sort of
bonus� just for Listening, which demonstrates how important 'Listening' is.
6th Aliya: Devarim 28:7 - 28:69 (63 Pasukim)
The Sixth Reading
is the longest single Aliya of any Sedrah in the Torah. In it the blessings for
the Land and the People are briefly re-visited and our establishment as a holy
nation is reiterated. This is of course, entirely dependant on the condition
that we keep the Mitzvot. On the other hand, '�if we don't listen to God...'. It
is in this way that the Tochecha (rebuke) about disobeying the Torah begins.
There is a custom of reading this Aliya in a low voice because of the
uncomfortable realization that God actually needs to warn us of what will happen
if we do not remain faithful, and in such lurid terms. Of course, when equipped
with 20/20 hindsight, we see that these harsh words have proved to be prophetic
on more than one occasion! At verse 28:68 we occasionally find the letter Caph
in the word VeHitmacartem (you will be sold) written in an enlarged form because
the actual word 'Caph' means hand, which could imply that the 'works of our
hands' are also sold. The Tochecha is contained !
in this single reading so that any discomfort incurred by hearing it will not
be prolonged for another week. Ezra (of scribal fame) is reputed to have
initiated the rule that the Tochecha in Leviticus is read before Shavuot, and
the Tochecha in Deuteronomy before Rosh HaShanah. In explaining this
instruction, R. Abbiya suggests that any curses pronounced in a particular
'year' should come to a conclusion with closing of that year. In this way the
curses of Deuteronomy come prior to year's end on Rosh HaShanah, and those of
Shavuot when the world is judged for the new year's crop of fruit (Talmud,
Megillah, 31b).
7th Aliya: Devarim 29:1 - 29:8 (8 Pasukim)
Finally, in the Seventh Reading
Moses summons the People and reminds them that they now have seen (and know) all
that has happened, the miraculous Exodus from Egypt and forty years of wandering
in the desert. It is now up to them keep the deal with God.
Until this day God did not give you a heart to know, eyes to see nor ears to
hear
Maftir: Devarim 29:6 - 29:8 (3 Pasukim)
Verse 29:6 When you reached this place, King Sihon of Heshbon and King Og of
Bashan came out to engage us in battle, but we defeated them.
Verse 29:7 We took their land and gave it to the Reubenites, the Gadites, and
the half-tribe of Manasseh as their heritage.
Verse 29:8 Therefore observe faithfully all the terms of this covenant, that you
may succeed in all that you undertake.
--From JPS
Tanakh, 1985
Haftarah, Isaiah 60:1 - 60:22 (22 Pasukim)
This is the sixth of the Shivah DeNechamta (seven Haftarot of Consolation) and
contains a promise of the coming Redemption and the Messianic age when God will
restore the People to the Land and the nations and peoples of the world will
flock to Jerusalem in order to pay homage. Phew! That is really good news,
especially after reading in our Sedrah about all that bad stuff that will happen
if we do not follow the rules.
The opening words of the Haftarah are: 'Arise and Shine�', which have of course,
become the standard 'wake up' call in numerous languages world-wide. Following
the opening statements we find the somewhat extravagant claims of material
wealth that will (eventually) come the way of the Bnei Israel. On the other
hand, the concluding words are a little more enigmatic: '...I Am God, in its
time I will hasten it' (the redemption). This represents a major component of
our Elul challenge, strengths and weaknesses combine, and in so doing contribute
to 'Tikkun Olam' (fixing the world), eventually assisting in bringing about the
Messianic Era.
By Michael Jacobs and Eve Greenfield